Head-piece for stringed instruments



No. 609,53I. Patented Aug. 23, |898. J. BRANDT.

HEAD PIECE FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

(Applcxtion led Jan, 19, 1595,)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES 7 PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN BRANDT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HEAD-PIECE FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 609,531, dated August 23, 1898.

Application led January 19, 1898. Serial No. 667,168. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN BRANDT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Head-Pieces for Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in head-pieces for mandolins, banjos, guitars, violins, and other like stringed instruments; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide a head-piece for such instruments, having tuning-pegs actuated by worin-gearing, in combination with such mechanism that the parts will be so firmly held that they will not rattle, and, second, to provide a head-piece that will occupy a narrow space and that may be placed on the upper side of the head of the neck of the instrument instead of upon the under side thereof. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top view of myimproved headpiece attached to the head of the neck of the instrument, Fig. 2 is a side view of the anges on the plate which bears the wormgearing and by means of which the head-piece is attached to the neck of the instrument. Fig. 3 is a view of the interior of my device, showing the worm-gearing and the central notched head-stock for the spindles and also the additional plate to which the tuning-pegs are clamped. Fig. et is a side View of the notched head-stock. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the device, taken on the line 5 5, Fig. l. Fig. 6 is an enlarged section of the device, taken on the line G G, Fig. 3.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, A represents the upper side of a plate having thereon the sides or flanges B on each side thereof and apertures d U. therein for the reception of the tuningpegs h l).

Apertures c c are made in the flanges B to receive and form a bearing for the spindles c c/ c', which bear the worms d d d. To the outer extremities of the spindles c c c are iirmly attached, by riveting or otherwise, the thumb-pieces cz c2 c2, by which said spindles are actuated. The inner extremities of the spindles c c c have attached thereon the heads c e, which heads are so arranged that there is a space or groove e between each of said heads and the inner extremity or bearing CZ' of the worm d. The head-stock f is a narrow plate, having flanges f f', one at each side thereof, with rounded notches f2 f2f2 formed therein. Said grooves c e', formed between the heads e c on the spindles c c and the inner extremities or bearings d CZ of the worms d d, iit snugly into the notches f2 f2, but not so as to bind said spindles.

VThe pegs l) b h, with rounded tops tapering inward toward the base thereof, as shown, have apertures b h therein for the reception of the strings h2 h2 of the instrument, said strings being fastened to said pegs in the usual manner. The pegs b l) b are arranged in rows on each side of the head-piece longitudinally in a straight line with each other, as shown. Said pegs b b h have each attached to the under part thereof a gear g by means of a screw g', which extends through said gear and into the peg b. Said pegs are squared at their lower extremities, as shown at b4, to receive the screws g and are rounded at their part next to said square part, as shown at b5, to fit snugly, but not so as to bind into the apertures b3 in the plate 7L. Next to the rounded part b5 on the pegs l) is an enlarged rounded portion h6, forming a shoulder which ts snugly, but not so as to bind into the apertures a a in the flanged plate A. This shoulder h6 tapers slightly, as shown, to correspond with a taper in the aperture a, so that the adjustment of said shoulder b with aperture a is close and exact. This shoulder b being of greater diameter than the aperture b3 in the plate h, the attachment of the gear g to the peg l) clamps the plate 7L between the shoulder h6 and the gear g.

The plate 71, is rectangular and of proper size and shape to t closely between the flanges B of the plate A. Said plate 7L covers a suiiicient space on the plate A to bear all the pegs b b h, gears g, and worms d d.

The plate 7L being prepared by being clamped between the gears g g and shoulders h6 h6 on the pegs b h, the heads of the pegs b h are passed through. the apertures a a in the iian ged plate A. The spindles c c', bearing their worms d d, are inserted through IOO the apertures c c in the flanges B in two rows, one on each side of the plate, the worms d d and heads e e being inside the flanges B B, the outer extremities of the spindles projecting outside said fianges to bear the thumbpieces c2 c2. The grooves e' e between the heads e c and the bearing d d are fitted into the notches f2 f2 inthe fianges f of the headstock fand the head-stock f tightly fastened to the plates A and 71, by rivets m m. The flanges f f of the holder f also bear against the gears g g, so as to prevent them from rattling. The spindles, worms, gears, and pegs are by this arrangement held so snugly in their proper positions that any rattling is impossible.

The head-piece is fitted upon the head of the neck II of the instrument, which is hollowed out to receive the parts, and the headpiece is held in position by screws n n through the holes n n in the flanges B.

My improved head-piece being capable of being made narrow, the head of the neck of the instrument may be made correspondingly narrow. The head, therefore, takes up less room than the old form of head and is less clumsy, and the casein which it is placed may be much smaller than those usually made.

My head-piece is adapted to be placed upon the upper side of the head of the neck of the instrument instead of underneath said head, as head-pieces are now usually placed.

l/Vhen the head-piece is placed upon the upper side of the head of the neck of the in'- strument, the pegs do not pass through the head, and therefore do not slip or get loose and rattle, as pegs which pass through the head are liable to do. The instrument is also more convenient to handle and has a better tone than instruments having any form of head now in use.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. In ahead-piece forstringed instru ments, the combination of a plate having two flanges; rotary pegs arranged on each side of said plate in two rows longitudinally thereof; a head-stock arranged lengthwise of said plate, between said two rows of pegs, and consisting of a channeled. plate having perforations or notches in the sides thereof; spindles, bearing worms, and having a bearing in one of the flanges on said flanged plate, and held,

, at their inner extremities, by said head-stock;

and gears on said pegs to engage with the worms on said spindles, all substantially as described.

2. In a head-piece for stringed instruments, the combination of' a plate having two flanges; rotary pegs, whose longitudinal center line is at right angles to said plate, and arranged on each side of said plate in two rows longitudinally thereof; a headstock arranged lengthwise of said plate between said two rows of pegs, and consisting of a channeled plate having perforations or notches in the sides thereof; spindles, bearing worms, and

having a bearing in one of the fianges on said flanged plate, and held at their inner extremities by said head-stock; and gears on said pegs to engage with the worms on said spindles, all substantially as described.

3. In a head-piece for stringed instruments, the combination of a plate having two flanges; rotary pegs whose longitudinal center line is at right angles thereto, and arranged on each side of said plate in two rows longitudinally thereof; a head-stock arranged lengthwise of said plate between said two rows of pegs, and consisting of a channeled plate, having notches in the sides thereof; spindles having a bearing in one of the flanges of said plate, and carrying worms to engage with gears on said pegs; heads on the inner end of said spindles; grooves between said heads and the inner extremity of said worms the groove on said spindles fitting into said notches in said head-stock, whereby said spindles are firmly held, all substantially as described.

4. In ahead-piece for stringed instruments, the combination of a flanged plate, an additional plate in contact with said flanged plate; a rotary peg extending through an aperture is said additional plate; a gear attached to said peg; a shoulder on said peg, said shoulder and said gear being of greater diameter than the aperture in said additional plate,

whereby said additional plate is clamped between said gear and said shoulder; an aperture in said flanged plate, adapted to receive and fit said shoulder on said peg, the head of said peg extending beyond, and the longitudinal center line of said peg being at right angles to said hanged plate, means for operating said gears, and means for attaching said additional plate to said fianged plate; all substantially as described.

5. In a head-piece for a stringed instrument, the combination of a plate having two flanges; a head-stock arranged lengthwise of said plate, and consisting of a channeled plate having notches in the sides thereof; spindles carrying worms, and having a bearing in one of the flanges on said plate, and each of said spindles having at its inner extremity a head and a groove between said head and said worm said grooves fitting into said notches on said head-stock; and pegs with gears thereon to engage with said worms on said spindles, substantially as described.

6. In a head-piece for stringed instruments, a plate bearing worm-gearing, and a headstock to hold the inner extremities of said worm-gearing; 'said head-stock consisting of a channeled plate with notches therein to receive the inner extremities of said worm-gearing, substantially as described.

7. A head-piece for a stringed instrument; said head-piece containing tuning-pegs perpendicular to the upper face of said headpiece, and worm-gearing for actuating said pegs; and a central head-stock to retain the spindles which carry said worm-gearin g; said head-stock consisting of a channeled plate IOO IIO

Worms, and shoulders thereon of greater diameter than the apertures in said additional plate, so that said additional plate is clamped between said gears and shoulders on said pegs; apertures in said lianged plate to receive and fit said shoulders on said pegs; and a central head-stock having notches therein; all substantially as described.

JOHN BRANDT.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR M. COX, MARTHA FREES, 

